vote

Eli Roth

Rob Zombie

I really liked Cabin Fever a lot but never seen Hostel (partly cuz I just dont think I will like it) But I dont mind Zombie's stuff either- Ill give the edge to Roth just because I really enjoyed Cabin Fever more than any of the Zombie's stuff so far

I enjoy both directors' work, but I really didn't like Zombie's Halloween remake so I have to give the edge to Roth. He's also a Troma boy so that don't hurt at all either. I hope neither of these two ever decide to do remakes again though. Their work is "throw-up" enough of past cinema.

I passed on the HALLOWEEN remake (sorry kids,I just couldn't do it,some films just should be left alone).Likewise I missed HOSTEL 2 ,it opened and closed here in record time and I almost never rent DVDs anymore so I have yet to catch up to it.

That leaves me with two from each director to consider.CABIN FEVER cracked me up in the theater,though I don't know if it was meant to.As a comedy I would say it worked well.If it was meant to be remotely scary it totally missed the mark.HOSTEL had a light and silly opening but ended with a nasty ,viscious last half.It was in my mind an okay picture.
HOUSE OF 1.000 CORPSES had good elements and I could see that Zombie was trying to get a 70's/80's grindhouse vibe going.It didn't work ultimately but it wasn't uninteresting.THE DEVIL'S REJECTS was a nice surprise,a violent road movie that actually did feel like an old drive in shocker.Strong cast,memorable violence and very nihilistic.A nasty pic but I really liked it.
Gotta go with Rob Zombie,if the guy has decent material he can really do something with it.Roth has potential .he just needs to mature a bit.

Iwent with Roth. Only because I'm tired of seeing Zombie's "white trash horror".
Hey Rob, trying making a horror movie without a white trash character.

For example. In Halloween, he took the "boogeyman" and turned him and his family into....wait for it...White Trash

BTW...Devil's Rejects is still one of the most over rated movies I've seen.

Click to expand...

"white trash horror"....THAT might be the reason I hate Zombie's films so damn much! Hated 1K Corpses, but was told by many that The Devil's Rejects was a vast improvement. I saw it as the same damn thing, and it's because it was just more nasty white trash that just annoys the hell out of me. It does not scare me, it does not make me laugh. It makes me want to watch something else.

Zombie: House of 1000 Corpses was cool for the first 3/4, Devil's Rejects was ok, same with the Halloween remake. I'm kind of sick of the cameos in his movies. I want him to try and make a movie with a whole new cast and see if he can pull it off.

Roth: Cabin Fever sucked, especially the second half. Hostel, I enjoyed but I'm not sure if I'll watch it again. Hostel 2 I haven't seen and not sure if I will.

They both need to stop trying to prove how much they love horror/grindhouse movies and just make a damned good horror flick. Especially Zombie.

Eli Roth. No question. Unlike Rob Zombie, he can write. Now, I'm not saying he writes very well. But he proves that he's not just a style director. Because even in his failures, there was something of some story substance. Something in the story or the theme of the movie that made it more than just a cruddy exploitation movie. If Zombie's style were better, you know if The Devil's Rejects had to some extent actually looked and felt like a horror movie, he might make better horror movies. And then there's the fact that he can't write. These days, style is not enough.

Then, there's the issue of how good each of these 6 movies are. Yeah, most of them are either complete crud or just disappointing. But Hostel was pretty good. I can't really say the same about any of Zombie's movies, except that there were moments in House of 1,000 Corpses that actually felt like horror. Hostel works more on a thematic level. And at least Roth's cinematic influences are not the same every movie he makes. Zombie keeps doing the same movie over and over again: white trash killer or killers brutalize more middle-class types or people who've gone off the beaten track. It's always Last House on the Left or Texas Chainsaw Massacre with Zombie. It's tiring. And it was tiring enough on House of 1,000 Corpses.

I'm not a huge fan of either, but went with Roth. HOTC was interesting in parts, but not really a coherent movie, REJECTS was a big improvement, but the HALLOWEEN remake makes it seem like REJECTS was a fluke, because it was an even bigger mess than HOTC. Two out of his three films are more like vanity projects, not real movies.

Roth's stuff is hit and miss, but is at least professionally put together, with actual stories. And he doesn't let the cameos, soundtrack, etc. overshadow the movies.

That being said, I will probably continue to check out Zombie's stuff, depending on the project. I wouldn't run out on opening day to see either of their work on the big screen, but will probably at least rent everything they do.

I'd be lying if I didn't say I enjoyed the films of both these guys. Roth's worst to me is Cabin Fever, which I certainly didn't hate. Zombie mostly fucked up Hallowee, but I still liked much of it.

I think The Devil's Rejects is the best of the crop, but I honestly find Hostel pretty strong. I give it to Zombie by a hair, and for making Nicolas Cage Fu Manchu. That being said, Roth's trailer was the best in Grindhouse.

Zombie is the better of the two. Of his 3 films I have loved them all and even though I hate remakes the Halloween remake was the best one I've seen in a very long time. Of Roth's film i only like the firs Hostel.

I went with Zombie. I actually like the cartoonish, overblown vibe of House Of A 1,000 Corpses. A good film to pull out on Halloween night. The Devil's Rejects was awesome and I could watch it over and over again. Bill Moseley was very good as Otis and I did like Sherri Moon as Baby quite a bit also. The Halloween remake was just ok for me, I liked the prequel style beginning but then it seemed like a rushed steal of Carpenter's work. I also hate the rape scene in the director's cut, it was just a little too much and not needed.
As for Roth, I thought Cabin Fever was ok but will never watch it again. I hated Hostel with a passion. Hostel 2 was barely watchable but a slight improvement and more consistent overall.